×Heucherella plant named ‘Mojito’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct × Heucherella  plant substantially as shown and described, characterized by spring leaves of yellow with a strong red pattern in the center of the leaves, along the veins, summer through winter leaves yellow green with the strong red center, palmately lobed leaves, small white flowers on short flower stalks, medium plant size with multiple crowns, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: ×Heucherella.

Variety designation: ‘Mojito’.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ×Heucherella and given the cultivar name of ‘Mojito’. ×Heucherella is in the family Saxifragaceae. ×Heucherella ‘Mojito’ originated from a whole plant mutation of ×Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,040 found in the greenhouse in Canby, Oreg.

Compared to ×Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’, the new cultivar has yellow to lime as the basic leaf color rather than orange amber to red brown.

Compared to ×Heucherella ‘Golden Zebra’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,104), the new cultivar has a denser habit with multiple crowns, fewer lobes, and shorter flower spikes.

This new ×Heucherella is distinguished by:

-   -   1. spring leaves of yellow with a strong red pattern in the         center ⅓ of the leaves, along the veins,     -   2. summer through winter leaves yellow green with the strong red         center,     -   3. palmately lobed leaves,     -   4. small white flowers on short flower stalks     -   5. medium plant size with multiple crowns, and     -   6. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture using shoot tips). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a 9-month-old ×Heucherella ‘Mojito’ in a one gallon container in the greenhouse in spring in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a one-year-old ×Heucherella ‘Mojito’ in the garden in the shade in summer in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new ×Heucherella cultivar based on observations of one and a half-year-old specimens growing in the garden in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, fifth edition, 2007.

-   Plant:     -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.         -   Size.—28 cm tall from top of the foliage to the ground and             48 cm wide.         -   Habit.—Mounding.         -   # of crowns.—About 40.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color.             Roots develop easily from cuttings. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Lobing/division.—5 lobes palmately parted with the terminal             the longest and most deeply parted, each with distinctly cut             secondary lobes (the depth of the lobes varies with plant             maturity and leaf age; leaves become more deeply lobed with             maturity).         -   Venation.—Palmate, veins Yellow Green 144A on topside, 148C             on bottom side.         -   Margins.—Broadly crenate, older leaves undulate or twist             slightly.         -   Apex.—Mucronulate.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 11.5 cm long and 11 cm wide.         -   Surface texture.—Glandular both surfaces.         -   Petiole description.—Grows to 17 cm long and 2 mm wide,             glandular hairs, Yellow Green 147C.         -   Leaf color.—Spring, topside, closest to Yellow Green 151B             with pattern along veins Greyed Purple 187B, bottom side             Yellow Green 151B with the pattern Greyed Purple 183A;             summer through winter topside Yellow Green 144A with pattern             Greyed Purple 187B, bottom side Yellow Green 146C with             pattern Greyed Purple 187B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Size.—Grows to 2.3 cm wide and 10 cm long.         -   Type.—Raceme.         -   Attitude.—Upright to semi-upright.         -   Density of flowers.—Medium.         -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 60.         -   Number of raceme.—20.         -   Peduncle.—Grows to 20 cm tall, 2 mm wide at base, Yellow             Green 147C, glandular hairs.         -   Pedicel.—Variable, with glandular hairs, Yellow Green 145B.         -   Bloom period.—May in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—2 mm wide and 3 mm long.         -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid.         -   Color.—White NN155C. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Imperfect.         -   Shape.—Campanulate.         -   Size.—4 mm deep and 5 mm wide.         -   Attitude.—Outward to down-facing.         -   Petal description.—5 in number, lanceolate, 4 mm long and 1             mm wide, some reflexed, tip acuminate, base attenuate,             margin entire, glabrous on both sides, White NN155D on both             sides.         -   Calyx description.—4 mm deep and 2 mm wide, with 5 lobes,             divided ¾ way to the base, campanulate, glandular hairs on             outside, glabrous inside, tip obtuse, margin entire, NN155D             on both sides.         -   Stamen description.—None.         -   Pistil description.—One central two beaked pistil, 4 mm long             and 2 mm wide, White NN155D.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness.—Each raceme blooms for about 2 weeks on the             plant. -   Fruit and seed: None. -   Disease and pest tolerance: The new cultivar is typical to the     genus. No known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have     been found in Canby, Oreg. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct ×Heucherella plant as herein illustrated and described. 